The Sermon Notes of Harold Buls

The Sermon Notes of Harold Buls

On the Gospel Lessons of the Ingrian Lutheran Church of Russia

Text from John 5:31-39

Advent 4

1. Read all of John 5. The feast in verse 1 is very likely the Passover.
At this point Jesus had been in His public ministry one and one-half
years. Two years later He suffered and died at the time of the Passover.
From John we know that Jesus' ministry lasted three and one-half
years. The four Passovers are found at 2:13; 5:1; 6:4 and 13:1.

2. Jesus healed the lame man on the Sabbath Day. The Sabbath was a
day of rest. Exodus 20:8-11. Verse 11 mentions that God rested on the
seventh day after creation. That reminds us of Hebrews 4:4-16. As God
rested on the seventh day, so His people were to rest on that day.
Sabbath means "rest." We know from Hebrews 4:4-16 that the Sabbath
day was a shadow of Christ who was to come (Colossians 2:16-17).
The Sabbath Day was to be a foretaste of eternal rest. When Christ came
the Sabbath Day passed away. Now Christ is our Sabbath every day
and forever. Cf. Matthew 11:28.

3. But the Jewish authorities found fault with Jesus because He did a
deed of mercy on the Sabbath. The Jewish authorities had perverted the
purpose and use of the Sabbath. They made many rules which the
people were to observe on the Sabbath Day in order that they might gain
salvation by their works.

4. All four Gospels dwell on the Sabbath conflicts between the Jewish
authorities and Jesus. Jesus purposely did deeds of mercy on the
Sabbath to confront the authorities with their false teachings. In each
case the authorities always denied the divinity of Jesus. Verse 18 tells
us: "The Jews began seeking to kill Jesus because not only was He
breaking the Sabbath but also because He was saying that God was His
Father, thereby making Himself equal to God." Jesus was not breaking
the Sabbath but He was saying that He was true God. For this reason
he Jewish authorities began to plot Jesus' death already two years
before He actually died.

5. To this day the orthodox Jews celebrate the Sabbath Day and they
deny that Jesus was the Son of God. No wonder John says at 1:11: "He
came to His own (people) but His own (people) did not receive Him."

6. While Jesus was growing up He stood in the favor of both God and
man. See Luke 2:52. When He preached His first sermon in Nazareth
(Luke 4:16-30) at first everyone was very friendly to Him. But when
Jesus testified that He was the Son of God people began to hate Him.
And that hatred led to His death. But no one took Jesus' life from Him.
John 10:18 tells us: "No one takes it (My life) from Me. But I lay it
down of My own accord. I have the authority to lay it down and I have
the authority to take it again." Jesus died willingly and He raised
Himself from the dead.

7. Jesus spoke some of His most memorable words in situations of
great hostility from His enemies. Cf. His seven last words on the cross.
Cf. What He says of Himself as the Good Shepherd at John 10:11-16.
Cf. His words about Himself as the Light of the World. John 8:11. And
Cf. John 5:39 "Search the Scriptures" a well-known word from Jesus'
lips. And just as Jesus spoke memorable words in spite of the hatred of
His enemies, so we should always be witnesses of Jesus. Someone
may remember our words and thus be saved.

8. Read Article VIII, The Epitome (Buls' lectures) on the Person of
Christ.

9. John 5:21 tells us that Christ, according to His human nature,
received divine and infinite qualities.

10. Jesus often said to a forgiven or healed sinner: "Sin no more."
(John 5:14). He means: "Do not sin knowingly or deliberately." A true
Christian fights sin and temptation.

11. Verses 18-47 are an exposition of Verse 17. Two things are
stressed: Jesus' works (miracles) and the testimony of Jesus, the Baptist
and the Scriptures. The miracles of Jesus and the word of God
constantly tell us: "Jesus is true God and the Savior of all."

The Sermon Outline of Harold Buls

Text from John 5:31-39

Advent 4

THEME: This Man Is True God

INTRODUCTION

Jesus is the greatest and best-known man in history. All dates in history
are reckoned from His birth and life. He is the only One who can
actually trace His lineage to Adam. Luke 3:37. He is the only One who
did not sin. Hebrews 7:26. Only of him did God say: "In You I am well
pleased." Luke 3:22. Only He was born of a virgin. Matthew 1:23.
Only He could raise Himself from the dead. John 10:18. Only He could
take away the sins of the world. John 1:29. And He is the best attested
man in history. There were five who testified about Jesus.

I. HE TESTIFIED ABOUT HIMSELF, Vs. 31

Not long before Jesus met His death His enemies said to Him: "How
long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."
John 10:24. Jesus answered: "I have told you but you don't believe.
The works which I do in My Father's name testify about Me. But you
don't believe because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear my
voice." There are many instances in the Gospel like John 4:26 where He
told the woman from Sychar that He was the Messiah. But notice that
Jesus immediately tells His enemies (John 10:24) that His works
(miracles) testify about Him. By word and deed Jesus testified about
Himself. "Are you the King of the Jews?" "Yes." Matthew 27:11. "Are
you the Son of God?" "Yes." Luke 22:70.

II. JOHN THE BAPTIST TESTIFIED ABOUT JESUS, Vs. 32-35

Jesus reminds His enemies about what the Baptist had said concerning
Jesus. He was only a voice, not the Messiah. He told the people to
prepare for the coming of Christ. They were to confess their sins and
believe the Gospel of forgiveness. Read John 1:19-28. Jesus reminds
His enemies that John had testified about Him. John had made it very
clear that he was only the humble servant of the Messiah. And the next
day he said: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the
world." We sing this verse every time we go to communion. Only Jesus
the God-man can forgive us our sins. But how did Jesus' enemies treat
John? Read verse 35. Like insects, playing near a light, they listened to
John for awhile and then forgot him. We should not forget what John
said about Jesus.

III. JESUS' MIRACLES TESTIFY ABOUT HIM, Vs. 36

After Jesus performed His first miracle (turning water into wine, John
2:1-10) we are told that in this way He showed forth the glory of God.
That means that His miracles proved that He was the Son of God. When
Jesus healed the lame man in our text, Jesus' enemies said that He was
making Himself equal to God. Of course He was. When Jesus raised
Lazarus from the dead (John 11) Jesus' enemies tried their best to deny
His miracles. Also John 9, the healing of the blind man. Unbelievers
always refuse the testimony of Jesus' miracles. They gnash their teeth.
But the miracles of Jesus' are very precious to believers. They increase
their faith. John 2:11. Jesus has already raised me from the dead. John
5:25; Ephesians 2:1-7.

IV. THE FATHER TESTIFIES ABOUT JESUS, Vs. 37-38

Those who do not receive Jesus do not have the Word of God, the
testimony of the Father, in them. Those who do receive and believe in
Jesus do receive the Father's testimony concerning Jesus. The Father
often said: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen
to Him." Matthew 3:17; John 12:28; Luke 9:35.

V. THE SCRIPTURES TESTIFY ABOUT JESUS, Vs. 39-40

We should read and study the Bible for only ONE purpose, to learn
more about Jesus. The prophecies, promises, shadows and types of the
Old Testament all point us to Jesus Christ. See Luke 24:27; Acts 10:43.
Therefore St. Paul says: "We preach Christ, crucified." I Corinthians
1:23. "I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus
Christ and Him crucified." I Corinthians 2:2.

This text was converted to ascii format for Project Wittenberg
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comments or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther
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